


Ikanaide (Don’t Go)

by paralogism



Category: Love Live! School Idol Project
Genre: Entirely too sappy, F/F, I did the final edits on my ipad so I didn't even notice, I swear, Love Live Secret Santa 2017, Now with a part I missed from the original tumblr version whoops, That word count though, pinky swear
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-28
Updated: 2017-12-28
Packaged: 2019-02-23 01:43:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,000
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13179711
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/paralogism/pseuds/paralogism
Summary: Nico leaves to go on tour, and Maki can’t go with her. It’s not the first time one of them has been left behind in the winter.





	Ikanaide (Don’t Go)

**Author's Note:**

> This is a secret santa gift for tumblr user @ohpacity! When I went through their page to do some stalking, ahem, research, I found a beautiful animation they did of NicoMaki to the song of ‘Ikanaide’. So playing the song (I prefer the Madotsuki version) and the piece of animation will put you in the right sort of headspace for reading this.
> 
> The song also happens to be a favourite of one of my friends. With those things in mind, I was inspired to use it as one of the themes of the story. The other was the prompt word: winter.

Cursing the impracticality of wearing a skirt on a winter weekend, Nico enjoyed all the warmth she could get as her friends took turns hugging her before she departed on her ‘Winter Wonderland’ tour. The bullet train that pulled into the station would take Nico to her first stops across Japan, before she set off across the rest of Asia. And for the first time, Maki wouldn’t be able to go on tour with her, instead chained to her internship at the family hospital.

Nico got onto her tiptoes, and Maki felt herself being wrapped up in a hug. Well, as possible as it is to be wrapped up by someone a few good inches shorter than herself.

‘I’ll be back soon, Maki-chan,’ Nico said, keeping her voice quiet enough to have a private moment between them.

‘I know.’

‘Please don’t blow up our apartment while I’m gone. Remember not to leave metallic items in the microwave.’

‘I’m aware,’ Maki said, slight irritation creeping into her voice. ‘That was just an accident.’

‘Just saying. Because last time we had to call the fire department-‘

‘Jeez,’ Maki said, blushing as not so quiet giggling emerged from Rin and Honoka beside her. ‘If you’re just going to nag me then you can hurry up and leave.’

‘Awww, you’re so cold, Maki-chan!’ Nico teased with a grin. ‘But that’s okay. Nico knows that really means you love her and wish her a safe trip.’

‘Whatever,’ said Maki, almost deadpan apart from the small curl of her lips. ‘Get out there and become the Number One Idol in the Universe.’

‘Silly Maki-chan,’ Nico replied. ‘Nico’s always been the Number One Idol in the Universe. It’s just that the Universe doesn’t know it yet! But they will soon,’ Nico added, and Maki saw the flare of determination like fire in her eyes. She pivoted her bag behind her, preparing to set off. ‘I’d better be heading off now.’

Nico only made it a few steps before there was a tug at the sleeve of her coat. She turned and found Maki, her mouth opening and closing, as if trying to find the right words to say.

‘Hey, Nico-chan…’ she whispered. ‘Don’t…’

Nico made a slight tilt of her head to one side, looking quizzical. ‘Don’t?’

Maki blushed and looked down to her shoes. Took a breath of air to steady herself. When she finally looked back up, she met Nico’s confused gaze with a smile.

‘Don’t worry about me. I’ll be fine.’

That only confused Nico even more, and maybe caused a small flicker of doubt to flash across her face, before she beamed a grin to match Maki’s anyway. ‘Whatever you say, Maki-chan!’

To a chorus of ‘Goodbye Nico!’, ‘Nico-chan!’ and a single ‘Nicocchi!’, Nico grinned, looked forwards and headed off. To Maki, her back looked taller and broader than someone of Nico’s stature had any right being. Pride, determination and ambition – it showed the irrepressible parts of Nico that Maki couldn’t help but admire.

All Maki could do was stand and watch as the sound of plastic wheels on concrete faded further and further away, stopping only when Nico vanished onto the train. She wasn’t gone for long – soon, Maki spotted Nico pressed up against the window, waving goodbye with one hand with the other formed into a Nico-Nii.

Maki stood and waved back with everyone else as the train began to pull out of the station. She wouldn’t take her eyes off it until it was well over the horizon.

So this is how it felt like to be left behind.

As a cold breeze blew through the platform, Maki wiped at the warm tears in her eyes, finally whispering the words which threatened to spill out before.

‘Nico-chan… Don’t go.’

* * *

 When Maki thinks of winter, she thinks of grey skies and the early encroach of darkness in the evening, which is what she sees when she exits the hospital after a shift which feels three hours too long. She thinks of hospital wards, crammed full of the unpleasant infections which spread like bushfires in a dry summer. (Ordinarily, that would be a morbid thought, if not for the fact that she’s currently working in one of those wards. That makes it more acceptable… she thinks.)

She thinks of the cold which numbs her fingers and makes them feel like lead as she sits in front of the piano, causing her to knit her eyebrows together and focus that little bit extra on making the notes sound right to her ears.

She thinks of the rush of warmth which spreads through her body when the door to the music room opens, and she doesn’t have to look up to know who it is. She can just feel her presence, somehow, different from anything else.

She thinks of a tiny little girlfriend swaddled in more layers of clothing than you’d find in a moderate sized department store. And perhaps the memory of giving that girlfriend a playful shove and watching her topple into the snow like a pitiful, pink domino.

(Maki helps her up again, of course. After taking a few photos and sending them off to mu’s group chat.)

She can almost hear Nico’s teasing voice like they were back on the platform.

‘You’re so cold, Maki-chan!’

Slumped underneath a kotatsu which doesn’t feel as warm as usual, cold is how Maki feels without her Nico beside her.

* * *

 

It was the third time Maki had her rest in the off-duty interrupted by someone looking for the toilets. When she calmed down and thought about it, they were right next to each other, and the signage wasn’t the best. But that was after she had snapped and shouted some choice words before she could catch herself. She’d be on Santa’s naughty list this year, no doubt about it.

Man, this winter was really starting to suck.

The thought of Nico being just a few hours away by train was somehow enough to feel like a lifetime. Yet it hadn’t even been a week since Nico had set off, the image of her twin-tails bouncing with a life of their own playing on repeat whenever Maki closed her eyes.

Her quality of living went from privileged to student as soon as Nico departed. Oh, how Nico had yelled at Rin for introducing Maki to cup ramen and the availability of easy, cheap junk food meals. She must’ve known this would happen.

Checking her watch, Maki saw that her shift had ended some time ago. She groaned to herself and pinched the bridge of her nose before checking her phone as she walked to the hospital entrance. Ooh. Some messages from Nico that came while she was hopefully asleep. Her thumb pressed onto the app in an instant.

Her reward was a picture Nico dressed as a miniature Santa (emphasis on miniature) and handing out presents to what looked like all the children in Hokkaido.

A caption: _what does maki-chan think of nico-nii’s latest event photoshoot_  (ﾉ◕ヮ◕)ﾉ*:･ﾟ✧

It was the cutest thing Maki had ever seen.

 _5/10_ she replied.

With a stupid smile on her face, she didn’t even look up from her phone as she walked across to the entrance. She was rewarded by walking into someone who didn’t step out of her way in time.

‘Ah,’ Maki apologised, looking up at the person she had run into. ‘I’m sorry- Wait, Eli?’

Eli greeted her with a grin and placed her hands onto Maki’s shoulders. Her gloves were warm and comforting – at least she had the sense to wait inside the hospital for Maki in this weather.

‘Hello, Maki,’ she said kindly. ‘How was work today?’

‘Busy as always,’ said Maki, her voice weary and haggard. ‘It being winter doesn’t help. But never mind me. What are you doing all the way out here, anyway?’

‘Well…’ Eli rubbed the back of her head sheepishly. ‘It’s a case of idol’s orders.’

* * *

Everything seemed to whir into the background as Maki strode alongside Eli, the former with hands buried deep in her pockets and Eli cheerfully pointing out all the Christmas decorations. A normal Maki would’ve done the same; a cold and grumpy Maki now feeling the lack of sleep she had gotten just shrugged.

‘Not even excited about Christmas,’ Eli mused somewhere along the way. ‘You really are missing Nico.’

It wasn’t even a question, which meant she didn’t have to give the obvious answer. As she followed Eli onto the subway and saw the line they were transferring onto, her destination became obvious. She couldn’t help but smile despite herself at the nostalgia.

* * *

‘I’m home!’ Eli called out as she shut the door behind them and kicked off her shoes.

‘Pardon my intrusion,’ Maki said.

‘Ah!’ Nozomi looked back from her apartment’s benchtop, where she was preparing the evening’s dinner. From the look of things, and especially from Nozomi’s special grill which was already laid out, it was going to be yakiniku.

‘Evenin’, Maki-chan! Nicocchi told us to look after you, so Eli went and fetched you while I finished my class.’

Maki paused for a moment and thought. Something just sounded off with that statement. ‘What did Nico-chan really say?’

‘Something along the lines of you being a massive baby who needs to be kept away from heat sources and sharp objects in the kitchen,’ said Nozomi.

Maki groaned. ‘I’m good with a scalpel, though.’

‘She also said that if left unsupervised you’d live off a diet of coffee and convenience store food,’ Eli continued. ‘I refuse to believe that because a medical student knows the importance of good nutrition, but…’

Maki shifted awkwardly and averted her gaze.

Eli sighed. ‘Seriously, Maki?’

‘So, that’s why you’re here for the evening!’ Nozomi said, cheerfully returning to chopping bits of meat with her knife. ‘And besides, it’s always good to catch up for a chat.’

Settling herself under their kotatsu, the warmth seeped through Maki’s extremities with a tingling sensation. It was similar, but not quite the same feeling as returning home to Nico’s one. But she gave a contented sigh all the same.

‘What do you want to talk about?’ asked Maki.

Just from her tone, Maki didn’t need to see Nozomi’s face to know that her eyes were twinkling with mischief. ‘Seeing as how this is a special occasion, do you wanna hear embarrassing things about Nicocchi?’

* * *

After several plates of grilled beef, occasional vegetables and mostly responsible drinking choices, Maki felt alive and refreshed in a way that she hadn’t been sequestered away in her own apartment. Forget antibiotics: a meal shared with two good friends should be used as a cure for all ills, the medical student thought, as she tried to keep her lungs somewhere within the vicinity of her body from laughing too hard. Nozomi was stood up from the table, her hair held within her hands, her voice high pitched and surprisingly accurate.

The story went something like this:

Nozomi and Nico being put on class duty together, and Nico deciding to tackle the whiteboard. Nico realising she was too short to reach the top of the whiteboard. Nico stacking objects to jump up and down upon to reach said whiteboard. After some unholy and rather unstable combination of chair, desk and various classroom aids was constructed, it resulted in Nozomi catching Nico. And then maybe Nozomi suggesting it was lucky Nico fell into her soft, bountiful chest, which only riled her up more for some reason…

And then Eli joined in with her story, as she quickly tied two red ribbons into her hair (where she got them from best explained by “spiritual power”). A story about her quiet admiration of Nico, for being such an advanced student for her age. A story which ended with Eli doing a lot of running from Nico, after being told that she was, in fact, older than Eli despite her looks…

Maki couldn’t remember the last time she had laughed so muhh.

After a few more stories, all their laughter finally faded down into quiet between the three. Eli took a sip of her drink; Maki adjusted the way she sat to get a bit more comfortable. When she looked across the room, however, she found Nozomi looking her way, a hand propped under her chin in thought and her emerald eyes making a quiet appraisal of her. It was a familiar feeling to her, but Maki still fidgeted under the scrutiny.

Evidently, she had passed whatever mental test Nozomi had calculated, as she broke the comfortable silence between them. ‘Hey, Maki-chan,’ she said thoughtfully. ‘What comes to mind when you think of winter?’

‘The usual things, I guess? Cold. Snow. Santa-san. Why?’

Nozomi took a sip of tea before turning her gaze into the drink. ‘Because when I think of winter, I think of a tiny high-school girl with a pink umbrella handing out flyers in the Otonokizaka courtyard.’

Seeing Nozomi’s expression, Eli sidled across the chair and draped a comforting arm around her shoulders. ‘Nozomi…’

The atmosphere felt different now to Maki as she watched her two seniors again fall into a hush. When Nozomi looked back up at Maki, it was with a pained smile.

‘A girl who hates the cold getting covered in snow for hours and hours, waiting for someone to take the flyers she made for her Idol Research Club. A girl who tried not to care what other people said not so quietly behind her back, crying in the bathrooms when she thought there was no one else around. That’s what I think of most when I think of winter, Maki-chan.’

Maki now knew why Nozomi had hesitated before – she could feel a swell of emotions spring up from somewhere in her chest just thinking about it. They’d talked about Nico’s past before, but never quite said how bad it was for her. Just how much it might’ve hurt. It made it difficult to think of a response other than ‘Oh.’

As she watched Eli comfort a shaken Nozomi, Maki got the sinking feeling that Nico might’ve had an even lonelier winter than she could ever dream of.

* * *

The chime of bells brought class to an end and Nico sighed with relief, looking up from her notebook which was more like a sketchbook after her latest efforts. After classes of English, algebra and geography, she had learned how to draw the perfect frills for her new costume.

Lingering in her seat for the moment, she propped a hand beneath her chin and watched as the rest of the class broke into that excited chatter that only the end of a school day can bring – like places to navigate afterschool for the perfect snack, or the club activities that they were looking forwards to completing that day.

It made Nico think of the Idol Research Club, as she flicked through her textbook and reviewed the activities planned that afternoon. It made Nico think of the Idol Research Club which had shrunk by half in the last week, and was down to two other members apart from herself.

She didn’t want to get up after that thought crossed her mind.

She dropped her bag to the floor, slumped further down into her chair and began idly riffing through pages to kill some time. That was, until a sudden voice called out from behind her.

‘Ni-co-cchi~!’

After being surprised by a hug from behind, Nico would’ve said that she responded in a calm, composed manner. Nozomi would’ve said that Nico squealed and pre-emptively brought her hands across her chest.

‘What do you want, Nozomi?’ Nico replied with cool sophistication. Probably.

‘It’s nothing,’ said Nozomi, smiling. ‘You just seemed a bit out of it, that’s all. Is everything okay?’

‘Everything’s fine,’ said Nico as she turned her head away from Nozomi to face the front of the classroom. Nozomi simply walked around her desk and sat at the chair in front.

‘Is that really true?’

Nico buried her head against the desk to avoid Nozomi’s gaze. Undeterred, Nozomi placed a soft hand to the back of Nico’s head.

‘Nicocchi…’

Nico gave a vigorous shake of her head to clear Nozomi’s hand. There was only one way to get rid of her and her prying questions - it was time to use the not-so-secret weapon.

Flashing a smile and making a Nico-Nii with a spare hand, Nico held eye contact this time - just like she had practiced in the mirror over and over again. Because smiles are contagious, and an idol’s job is to make people smile. Especially when you’re the president of the Idol Research Club.

‘Nico’s fine, Nozomi,’ Nico said, using her sugary sweet idol voice. ‘Really.’

As she fixed Nico with a questioning look, Nico could tell that Nozomi didn’t buy it, and was running calculations in her head as to what she wanted to say next. After a long, thoughtful look, Nozomi sighed and gave a small shrug of her shoulders as she stood up in defeat, pushing her chair which scraped against the floor with a sharp noise.

‘If you say so, Nicocchi.’

Once more, she had gotten away with it like she always did – the cost was the feeling of an overwhelming tiredness, as Nico rested her head against the table once more.

As Nozomi’s footsteps made their way somewhere near the classroom door, Nico heard Nozomi turn around to tack one one last thought. ‘Just remember: Elicchi and I are always here for you, okay?’

‘Yeah.’ Nico didn’t bother looking up, instead huffing and grumbling into the wooden desktop, looking and sounding too tired to care. ‘Whatever.’

After another moment where Nico knew she was being appraised once more, the classroom door finally slid shut. But it still didn’t completely muffle the two voices from the other side.

She heard Eli and her concern first. ‘Is everything alright with Nico?’

‘Who knows,’ Nozomi replied, in a whisper which wasn’t quiet enough.

A small flicker of anger flared inside Nico. She was fine. She didn’t need their concern, their pity, because she was _fine_. Why wouldn’t they believe that?

Perhaps it was because she didn’t really believe that herself.

* * *

More importantly, Nico mused to herself as her feet finally carried her in the direction of the clubroom, if they had the time to worry about her, then Nozomi and Eli could do something about the stupid school uniform rules. Isn’t it some kind of cruel and unusual punishment to walk around in winter with only a cotton blazer for warmth?

If Nico had her way, she’d be ensconced in the puffiest, warmest, pinkest parka she could scrounge from the thrift stores. And because she’s Nico, she’d make it look absolutely dashing as well. But according to Eli and Nozomi, the cardigan was pushing the rules far enough already. Not like Nico was obliged to listen to her friends on the Student Council or anything…

So instead, she wore the hand-me-down thermal underwear which was slightly too long and loose in the chest department, which would probably be funny to people other than Nico.

Opening the door, Nico folded her arms in front of herself and trembled. How did the room always manage to turn into a freezer during the day?

It was time for the usual routine: shiver her way over to the heater and crank it up to max, spend a few minutes feeling the heat melt away at the gross, damp spots of her clothing, then at last settle into her chair, open her notebook and check her practice routine planned for the day. That, of course, required the other members (what was left of them, anyway) to show up.

That was already a surprise now that Nico thought of it. She’d been delayed by her own thoughts and a pesky Nozomi already, and the other two hadn’t shown up yet? She looked to the wall and checked the time on the room’s clock. 15 minutes late, and counting.

How inconsiderate, Nico huffed to herself as she settled into her chair at the head of the table. An empty room takes longer to heat up. It was still cold enough to feel like knives driving into her bones.

‘Stupid winter,’ she muttered to herself.

After a few minutes spent directly in front of the heater with her hands outstretched, they finally arrived. The door opened with a clicking sound.

‘Sorry we’re late,’ apologised the brown-haired, first-year student. Her voice was meek, her eyes downcast and avoiding eye-contact.

The other first year took a deep breath, then marched across the room towards Nico. When she drew close, Nico noticed the sight of two, white envelopes placed in her hand, which she laid out on the desk in front of Nico.

An uncomfortable, twisting feeling formed in her stomach as she eyed the two envelopes handed to her. Despite the warmth of the heater starting to fill the room, Nico felt her fingers go a prickly numb and cold as she extended them and took hold of the letters.

‘What…’ Nico’s voice came out choked, before she swallowed her nervousness once more. ‘What are these?’

‘What do they look like? They’re our letters of resignation.’

For all her bravado, the taller girl still wouldn’t look Nico in the eyes, instead looking at the corner of the room. In the background, the other girl had her hands nervously clutched at the hem of her blazer.

Nico opened her mouth, then closed it and shook her head. The silence that ensued was overpowering. After a few moments which felt like hours, Nico realised that the only thing she could do was ask. ‘Why…?’

The girl clenched her hands into fists by her side. ‘We can’t do this anymore,’ she finally said. ‘Not everyone is as dedicated as you are. Why can’t you see that? You’re always going on about being the Number One Idol, but you look more like a girl in primary school. And the “Nico Nico Nii” you always make us do? It’s seriously weird. Not cute,’ she scoffed. ‘This entire thing has been a waste of time.’

‘A waste… of time?’ Nico repeated.

‘She didn’t mean it like that!’ the shorter girl spoke up in a panic. ‘She meant-‘

‘Don’t. We’ve made our minds up.’ She made her way over to the other girl by the exit. ‘Come on – we’re done here.’

Nico rushed to her feet and reached out with her arm. She grasped at thin air. ‘Ah, wait!‘

They didn’t. There was only the sound of the clubroom door being shut, followed by footsteps disappearing down the hallway, which rung and reverberated inside Nico’s head and left her too stunned to sit back down again.

When she realised what she wanted to say, it was already too late.

‘Please,’ she said, sniffling and running at her nose. ‘Don’t go.’

* * *

Looking down with her hands folded into her lap, Maki felt the heat of a tear running down her face. ‘Why are you telling me this?’ she said, her voice coming out hoarse.

‘Because whenever winter comes around, we want Nicocchi to have happier memories than those,’ Nozomi said. ‘She’s precious to us. And to you too, right?’

Maki nodded a bit too hard. ‘Of course she is.’

‘I’m sure Nico wouldn’t tell you something like this,’ Eli said, gently running her hand across Nozomi’s shoulders. ‘It’s not something she wanted to dwell on.’

‘We tried our best to help her after that,’ added Nozomi. ‘We really, really did. But you know how Nicocchi is. She didn’t want our “pity”. But I always wonder, Maki-chan. Should I have been more forceful? Could I have done more for Nicocchi?’ Nozomi returned a guilty gaze to her lap and mumbled. ‘I don’t have many regrets, but leaving her alone is one of them.’

‘But,’ Eli interrupted, ‘Nozomi always had faith that things would work out for Nico one day.’ She took Nozomi’s hand into her own. ‘And she was right, as per usual.’

‘Elicchi…’

‘Nozomi…’

It was like a warm, comforting breeze had swept through the room from the affection the two gave each other. Maki smirked, and realised that her reaction was the same as what Nico’s would be.

‘Gross.’

Her upperclassmen traded a look of mock affront between them and spoke at the same time. ‘What’s with that? I don’t get you.’

‘So!’ said Nozomi, changing the subject with a cheerful shout. ‘Because you’re the one closest to our Nicocchi, we want you to make a promise. That was another reason Elicchi and I had you over this evening.’

Getting up from the couch and making a small whine at the lack of contact with Eli that followed, Nozomi sat herself beside Maki and outstretched a pinky. ‘Do you swear to always be there for Nicocchi, through rain, sleet and snow?’ she asked. ‘Cross your heart and hope to die?’

Maki took Nozomi’s pinky within her own and shook. ‘I promise.’

Making her way over to Maki’s other side, Eli brought out her left pinky to meet Maki’s. ‘Promise to never, ever leave Nico standing there by herself, cut off your pinky and swallow a thousand needles if you lie?’

‘I promise.’

‘Then it’s settled,’ Nozomi said, leaning them into a group hug. If Maki had closed her eyes, she might’ve sworn she felt Nico hugging along as well.

‘You two know so much about Nico-chan,’ Maki whispered after a while. ‘I’m jealous.’

‘Well,’ Eli replied, happily entwining her hand with Nozomi’s, ‘we do have two years head start on you.’

‘We’ll help you catch up, then,’ said Nozomi. ‘What were we talking about before?’

‘Oh, that’s right,’ they said in unison. ‘More embarrassing Nico stories!’

The buzz of a phone in her jacket pocket left Maki fumbling to retrieve it. ‘Ah, I’m sorry,’ she said, before grinning when she saw the caller’s name. ‘It’s Nico-chan.’

With knowing smiles given by Eli and Nozomi, Maki stood up and excused herself into the kitchen to take the call.

‘Maki-channnn!’ Nico sung out of Maki’s speaker. ‘You’re still alive?’

‘Nope,’ Maki replied. ‘I can’t eat, drink or do anything without you, so I died.’

‘Still as sarcastic as ever,’ said Nico. ‘But that’s fine.’

‘How was today’s concert? Where are you right now?’

‘Concert was amazing, mainly because Nico was in it. And Nico could melt in the bed of her hotel room,’ she said, punctuated by a yawn. ‘It’s so warm after a day in the cold…’

‘You should rest, Nico-chan. You’ve had a long day.’

‘Maybe later,’ said Nico. ‘Right now, I just… kinda want to hear your voice.’

Maki felt the heat rising into her cheeks. Nico could be so unfair sometimes. ‘W-What do you want to talk about?’

‘For starters, I’m curious as to what Eli and Nozomi would’ve talked with you about. They tend to talk about Nico a lot when Nico isn’t there, apparently,’ Nico added with a scoff at the end.

Maybe not in the way you’d think, Maki thought to herself. ‘We talked about winter. And embarrassing Nico stories.’

‘What?! I should’ve known,’ she said, groaning. ‘They’re such blabbermouths. So? What amazing things did you learn about me?’

Maki found herself smirking again. ‘That’s a secret.’

‘Unfair,’ Nico said, and Maki could hear another groan behind it.

‘Hey, Nico-chan…’ Maki hesitated. Nico waited for her, the sound of nothing eventually becoming overwhelming. ‘What do you think of winter?’

There was the sound of Nico shuffling herself on the bed. Maki could picture Nico bringing the blankets over herself, hearing her voice become drowsier and yawnier with each passing moment.

‘Winter?’ Nico sleepily answered. ‘I hate it. It’s cold, dark and lonely – all things that Nico doesn’t like.’

‘Mmmm. I see.’

‘Nico would rather be under the kotatsu with Maki-chan, or going someplace warm with her friends and family…’ Unguarded and unfiltered, Maki made a mental note to talk to Nico when she was tired more often.

‘Both can be arranged,’ said Maki. ‘Just leave it to me, okay?’

‘Sounds… good…’

Maki smiled as she heard Nico’s breaths settle into a steady, sleeping rhythm. ‘Goodnight, Nico-chan.’

‘Night… Maki…chan…’

 

* * *

The singular ‘break’ in Nico’s tour schedule was to return to Tokyo for Christmas Day, before a flight out of Haneda in the early hours of the 26th. As she climbed up the stairs to her apartment late in the evening, she had a rough idea of what would be awaiting her.

‘I’m home,’ she announced, immediately finding the tree, lights and decorations all painstakingly set up by someone who cared about Christmas wayyyy too much. But it was strange – she had at least expected Maki to have been standing in the doorway. Not being pounced upon by a jovial Maki high on the power of Christmas was a violation of the natural order.

Until she found Maki sprawled under their kotatsu, then she wondered why she was surprised.

‘This is your favourite place,’ Nico said, smiling.

Sitting beside her and taking in her glorious, stupid, drooling face rested against the tabletop, Nico felt the tiredness fading from her bones.

Maki eventually shifted when she noticed Nico’s presence and eased herself upright. She yawned. ‘How long was I asleep for?’

‘Long enough that it looks like you’ve spilled a drink on the table,’ Nico replied.

Maki looked down and gave a groaned reply.

‘Sorry,’ said Nico, wrapping an arm around Maki’s shoulders. Maki took things further and pulled Nico into for a hug. Buried in the crook of Nico’s neck, Maki finally felt the warmth she had missed all this time before.

‘Nico-chan…’ Maki began, shyly tugging on Nico’s coat sleeve. ‘I know you have to leave and be amazing tomorrow. But for now… Please don’t go anywhere else. I… I really missed you this winter.’

Nico held Maki close and rubbed a circle into her back.

‘I’m not going anywhere. I promise.’


End file.
